Realization in the Rain
by mimimadrox
Summary: A one-shot inspired by a prompt from tumblr: Ruby and Jaune are walking home after going to dinner together on a rainy night. Jaune hates the rain, but Ruby loves it and is dancing and playing around in it and, as he watches her, Jaune realizes he's beginning to fall in love with both the rain and her.
**So, I posted this on my AO3 awhile ago and didn't get around to posting it here, too, because I'm lazy. I figured I'd finally go ahead and upload it, since some people don't use/know about AO3 and wouldn't see this otherwise. So, here's some Jaune and Ruby fluff for you Lancaster fans!**

 **I don't ship it myself, honestly, but the idea of them is cute and I liked this prompt for them. :)**

 **Prompt:** **Imagine your OTP walking home after going to dinner on a rainy night.**

 **Bonus: They don't have an umbrella, so they're foolishly running through the rain. Person A is grumpy about the weather at first, but Person B loves the rain and is giggling as they run through, and Person A eventually finds themselves smiling at Person B's childish behavior.**

 **Bonus 2: One or both of them end up sick the next day and they stay together cuddling in bed. (via .com)**

* * *

It was nearing 10 o'clock when Ruby and Jaune stepped out of the resteraunt, ready to head back to Beacon after having a nice dinner together.

Jaune's heart dropped to his feet when he heard the quiet pattering of water falling onto the street. It was raining.

And they didn't have an umbrella.

"Oh, man," Jaune muttered. "This sucks."

"What are you talking about?" Ruby grinned up at him, silver eyes full of delight and mischief. "This is _great_! I love the rain!" With a childlike little laugh, she leapt out from beneath the cover of the resteraunt's overhang, the rain dampening her clothes and hair.

Jaune hesitated, but followed after her, grimacing as soon as the first raindrop touched his cheek. He walked quickly behind Ruby, grumbling a bit to himself along the way. It had been a great night with Ruby, but now all he wanted to do was get back to Beacon as fast as possible so he could dry off and change into his nice and warm—and _dry_ -pajamas.

"Come on, Jaune," He looked up at the sound of her voice to see her walking backwards in front of him, smiling. "It's just a little rain!" She twirled around and pointed her face to the sky, letting the rain wash over her face.

Then she turned away from Jaune completely, seeming to forget he was there as she danced and spun around like a child.

Jaune pushed his wet hair out of his face and just stood there for a moment, watching her.

For as long as he could remember, Jaune hated the rain. He hated the feeling of being wet, hated the way the rainwater soaked through his clothes, the way it made his hair stick to his face.

But watching Ruby as she danced around and splashed in the puddles, as she stuck her tongue out to taste the rainwater, her hair dripping, raindrops glistening on her pale skin—he was beginning to fall in love with it.

He was beginning to fall in love with _her_.

A soft smile formed on his face and he stood there for just another minute, watching her silently.

When she noticed he wasn't following her, however, she turned towards him, regarding him with a confused expression. "Jaune? Are you okay?"

"Huh?" His cheeks grew warm. "Oh, yeah, pfft; I'm fine. We should hurry back; it's getting late." He shivered a bit. "And cold."

Ruby shrugged. "If you say so." She started to turn away, but then stopped, staring at him.

His blush deepened under her gaze. "What?"

She pointed to his hair, slicked back to keep rain from dripping into his eyes. "You look weird like that."

"Wh-wha...?"

With a snort, Ruby turned and took off, using her semblance to get farther ahead of him.

"H-hey! Wait for me!" Jaune stumbled a bit as he broke into a run after her. "Come back! Ruby!"

She only laughed and hopped into a nearby rain puddle. "Better hurry up, slowpoke!" She called back and skipped a few more feet ahead.

Jaune groaned and continued struggling after her. She was too fast and almost too far ahead now; he considered giving up and just slowing to a run.

However, Ruby eventually slowed her pace, purposefully allowing him to finally catch up to her.

And when he did, he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, yelling, "Gotcha!"

Ruby rolled her eyes and smiled. "Yeah, yeah, oka—whoa!"

Keeping one arm wrapped around her waist, Jaune leaned down and slid the other underneath her knees, lifting her up and cradling her against his chest like a bride.

It was Ruby's turn to blush this time as she became incredibly flustered. "Jaune! What are you doing? Put me down!" She struggled in his arms, but he was surprisingly strong.

"Hmm," He pretended to think about it, glancing off to the side and pursing his lips. Then he smiled back down at her. "Nope."

Ruby's eyes widened slightly in surprise, then she smiled, remembering how she had said the same thing to him the night he was sitting in the hall outside of his team's dorm, doubting his leadership abilities.

Jaune suddenly spun in a small circle, emitting a surprised squeak from the small girl in his arms. "Jaune...?"

He didn't look at her, his blush returning, as he spun again. Then he began to dance a little, moving his feet as if slow dancing, holding Ruby close. She giggled and wrapped one arm around his neck, resting the side of her head against his chest.

The rain still fell, thoroughly soaking them both.

"Jaune," Ruby spoke up after a couple of minutes had passed, her body beginning to shiver. "We should really be getting back to Beacon; it's late and our teammates are probably worried."

Jaune stopped dancing and began to set Ruby's feet back on the ground. "Yeah, you're right."

"Wait!"

Jaune stopped and looked at her face, startled. She pointed to something on the ground ahead of them. "Jump in that puddle!"

He blinked, confused, then shrugged and held Ruby tight against him as he ran forward and leapt into the puddle, landing in it with a satisfying _splash_!

Ruby laughed and threw her hands up. "Yay!"

Jaune set her carefully back on the ground and the two held hands as they walked the rest of the way to Beacon together.

* * *

Pyrrha sighed at the thermometer in her hands. "There's no way you're going to class with a temperature as high as this one."

Jaune had woken up the next morning with a high fever. He groaned and slid further under his blanket. "Great."

She shook her head at him. "That's what you get for playing in the rain yesterday. Maybe next time you'll remember your umbrella."

Jaune only mumbled incoherently in response, laying with his back to her.

She sighed again and set the thermometer on the desk, turning to leave the room. "I'll let the professors know why you're absent."

"Feel better, Jaune!" Nora called as she followed after Pyrrha.

"I'll make some soup for you when classes are finished." Ren said before following the other two out of the room. The door shut softly behind him, a peaceful silence settling over the room.

Just as Jaune was beginning to drift off to sleep, he heard the door open again.

"Jaune?" It was Ruby. "Are you sick, too?"

"Yeah," He answered. "You too?"

"Yeah." The door closed again and Jaune assumed that she must have gone back to her room.

Until the blankets were pulled back and he felt a warmth press against his back. He jumped a bit, turning his head to look over his shoulder, blue eyes meeting silver. "R-Ruby? What are you doing?"

Ruby pouted up at him. "I'm cold."

Jaune, his face as red as a Grimm's eyes, turned around and wrapped his arms around Ruby somewhat awkwardly, pulling her close.

She snuggled against his chest with a soft hum.

They lay like that in silence for a few minutes, Jaune having an internal battle with himself. Finally, he decided. "Ruby?"

She didn't answer, her breaths slow and quiet. She was asleep.

He smiled down at the peaceful expression on her face, then leaned down to press his lips against her hair and whisper,

 _"I love you."_


End file.
